Some vehicles, such as some trucks and utility vehicles, include open cargo areas. For example, the open cargo area can be a pickup truck bed. The open cargo area can have an impact on overall vehicle aerodynamics. For example, in some conditions, the open cargo area can cause air to follow non-laminar paths into and out of the open cargo area when a vehicle is moving. As shown in FIG. 1A, a vehicle 10 can include a bed 12 defined by two side panels 14, a front panel 16, and a tailgate 18. Movement of the vehicle 10 can cause an airflow 20 to enter the cargo area and encounter turbulent, or uneven, flow.
Some vehicles can include fixed aerodynamic elements to increase aerodynamic performance of the vehicle. For example, some vehicles can include fixed spoilers located near a top of the tailgate. As shown in FIG. 1B, a vehicle 10 can include a fixed spoiler 22 positioned near the top of the tailgate 18. The fixed spoiler 22 can allow an airflow 24 to have a more direct, or laminar, flow across the vehicle 10 during particular driving conditions. Fixed spoilers cannot be adjusted based on vehicle or environmental conditions.